A Halloween Carol
by Meg0613
Summary: My take on the BAMDAMMMSTERS Halloween The Closer era prompt. Sharon does not like Halloween at all and she can't explain why to Andy and it is causing problems between them. It's set in present day but has flashbacks to The Closer. Will be multiple chapters. Thanks as always to Duff and TNT.
1. Chapter 1

A Halloween Carol

The Ghost of Halloween Past

October 30th 2015

"Come on Sharon it will be fun. Besides you never met a holiday you didn't like. Where is the famous Sharon Raydor sense of occasion that I love?" Andy asked her as they were finishing the dinner dishes in her condo.

Sharon sighed putting the last of the leftovers away, "Andy, I already told you I just don't like Halloween. I love all of the other holidays just not that one."

Andy looked at her still not understanding for a reserved as Sharon could be she truly did love parties and holidays, "Is this some kind of Catholic thing I am missing out on?"

Sharon sighed again her frustration growing why couldn't he just let this go, "If I say yes will you just drop it? " her tone was harsher than she intended it to be and she instantly regretted it when she saw the hurt in his eyes.

"Yeah, fine, I will drop it. Do you still want to watch the movie?" He asked moving around the counter towards her.

Sharon knew she should say yes, she wanted to say yes because more than anything right now she wanted to feel Andy's arms around her and know that they were all right she didn't like the tension between them because of this stupid holiday. She opened her mouth intending to say just that but suddenly a rush of emotions she didn't see coming took over and she heard herself saying, "Actually, I think I'm ready to call it a night."

She saw the hurt in Andy's eyes grow even deeper. She would have rather his eyes looked angry, she would have deserved that with how she was acting but instead it was hurt and she knew she was the one to cause it. She watched as he gathered his stuff to leave, "Andy, wait." She said putting a hand on his arm. He turned slowly towards her and she felt him take a breath before he turned all the way around.

"Sharon, I don't know what's going on tonight. Or what your deal with Halloween is and I really don't care if we go to the party or not. What bothers me is that you won't talk to me about it and it is causing us to fight. If we are going to fight I should at least know what we are really fighting about. We won't go to the party tomorrow. I'm going to go to Nicole's and watch the boys trick or treat. I would love for you to come with me. If you don't want to I will see you for breakfast on Sunday." He said with a mix of sadness and frustration in his voice. He leaned in and kissed her quickly, "Call me if you want to talk." He said before turning to walk out her door.

Sharon stood in her kitchen and could feel the tears beginning to form in her eyes as she heard the door to the condo shut. "Damn it" She muttered under her breath as she pulled a bottle of wine from the cabinet and poured herself a glass.

She had totally blown her Friday night with Andy and perhaps the entire weekend. They weren't even on call this weekend and now they might be spending most of it apart if she didn't get her act together. But oh she hated Halloween so much. It just brought up too many feelings that she didn't want to deal with, especially now that she was happy with her life. She had a great job, three kids who were turning into wonderful adults, and a relationship with someone who respected her and made her feel special. Why dwell on things from the past that could not be changed.

She took her wine to the couch and flipped on the TV. She flipped through the channels and found Star Wars was on. She sighed, of course that was what was on. It just fit with the rest of her evening. She left the TV on and laid down on the couch and felt herself start to fall asleep. She woke up when she heard her clock strike midnight signally that Halloween was here. She looked down the hall and could see Rusty's door was closed so he must have come in at some point.

She got up to walk to her room when and almost let out a scream when she saw a girl who looked to be about seven in a jedi costume standing in the hallway. "Don't be scared Sharon. I'm here to help you." The girl told her.

"Who are you and why are you in my condo? Where are your parents?" Sharon asked looking for her phone to call someone.

"Sharon, I'm the ghost of Halloween Past and I'm here to help you."

"Help me what?" Sharon asked

"Help you with Halloween and Andy." The girl told her holding out her hand. "Come with me." For reasons Sharon could not explain she found herself putting her hand in the girl's.

The next thing Sharon knew they were standing in the living room of house that was decorated in with jack o lanterns and paper cut out ghost. It all felt so familiar but Sharon couldn't quiet put her finger on it. Then suddenly she saw a boy who looked to be about four come running through in a Luke Skywalker costume and she knew exactly where she was. She was in her and Jack's house Halloween 1992. That infamous Halloween that had changed everything.

She watched as a younger version of herself came into the living room carrying costume pieces and candy buckets. "Richard Raydor, I told you to finish your dinner. We aren't going trick or treating until you do. Emily, where is the rest of your costume?" She was picking up the trail of mess the children had left when they came through the door. She looked so tired.

Emily came bounding into the living room in her Princess Lea costume, "Mom is Daddy going to be home for trick or treating? He said he would be when he called last week."

Sharon sighed and bit her tongue from what she wanted to say, "I don't know Honey, your Daddy says a lot of things. " Was the nicest reply she could come up with, that afternoon she had discovered her savings account was empty. Everything she had managed to save for the last ten years was gone. Jack had been gone for two years just popping in occasionally but now he had gone too far. He had not contributed a dime to the family in two years now he had taken her savings. She hoped to God he didn't show up tonight. She didn't know if she could be held responsible for her actions if he did.

She finished getting the children ready when she heard the doorbell ring. She assumed it was the first of the trick or treaters and told Emily she could open it. "Daddy!" She heard Emily scream and Sharon felt her blood pressure rise as she quickly made her way back to the living room.

She was horrified at what she saw standing there. Jack was there visibly drunk, stumbling, wearing what looked to be a brand new expensive suit and a woman who looked barely over twenty standing with him. "Hey, how's my Princess Lea? Where's Luke?" he asked.

"Daddy, here I am! " Yelled Ricky running into the living room.

"What are you doing here Jack and who do you have with you?" Sharon asked her tone cold and flat.

"OH and look it's our very own Dark One, Darth Raydor, better than the Ice Queen you usually go as I suppose." Jack said slurring his words.

"Leave jack, leave now, I know what you have done and you have no business being here." She said fighting back the tears.

"Hey, I needed some money, but I won it all back and came to bring you some." He said holding out an envelope full of money. Every ounce of pride she had was screaming to not take it but the ever present rational Sharon Raydor knew she had to put some money back in savings.

Sharon turned and looked at the young girl next to her, "I promised myself I would never let him take from me again after that and that I would never take money he got from gambling again. I went to my lawyer the next day and started the process of becoming legally separated. We didn't see him at all for five years after that night."

"No, and you have never liked Halloween since then." The girl whispered, "Of course, there was another Halloween more recently that didn't go to well either wasn't there?" The girl asked.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Sharon denied what the girl was saying until suddenly they were no longer in her old home but in a ball room. She didn't need to ask where they were this memory was still fresh enough in her memory.

It was Halloween of 2010 and they were standing in the ballroom where the LAPD held their annual Halloween ball. Sharon had never actually gone to one before that year. She had always been busy with her kids or when the kids got older she volunteered to work so others could go. The memories from that Halloween years ago still clouded her memory so she chose to avoid it. She had let Andrea and Gavin talk her into going.

"You need to get out more." Andrea said

'Honey, you are too young and sexy to sit home every night like an old spinster." Gavin chimed in.

So she had gone, she even bought a costume. The theme that year had been favorite book characters. Sharon remembered the fun she and her kids had reading the Harry Potter books and decided to go as Hermoine Granger. She felt a little uncomfortable in the costume but reminded herself that everyone else would be in costume too. When she walked into the ball room she looked around at everyone who was having a great time. People with their significant others or just laughing and having fun with coworkers. It was one of those times that Sharon felt alone in a crown of people. She decided she was ready to leave when she turned to go she ran into Lieutenant Flynn wearing a robe that matched her own.

"Captain, or should I say Hermonie?" He laughed recognizing her costume at once.

"Lieutenant, hi, I see you are from Gryffindor as well, but no glasses so would that make you Ron?" She asked with a slight laugh.

"Yeah, these books were some of my kid's favorites and I always felt a connection to Ron." He chuckled.

"Hmm, I could see that." She laughed starting to feel relaxed a little.

"A bunch of us are over there, do you want to join us?" He asked nervously.

"Thank you Lieutenant, I will be there in just a minute." She said excusing herself to the bar to grab a glass of wine first.

"I can come with you, it's all right. Provenza as a drunk Atticus Finch isn't' all that exciting. "He accompanied her to the bar and order himself a cranberry soda as Sharon order herself a glass of wine."

They got their drinks and were making their way back to the rest of the Major Crimes division. When Sharon over heard some officers taking. "Yeah, I heard she was coming tonight. Halloween is probably her favorite holiday."

"Yeah, the Wicked Witch doesn't even need a costume." One of them laughed and Sharon felt herself tense up knowing they were talking about her.

"Or she could have just worn her trench coat and been just fine as her usual Darth Raydor."

"I heard her husband use to call her the Ice Queen, so there's always that too." Another one joked.

"I heard she's here as someone from Harry Potter, so now we can just call her 'She that can't be named' "and the whole group erupted in laughter. Sharon turned to leave all to use to the jokes people made about her when she noticed Andy was walking towards the group of officers his hands clinched at his sides.

"Lieutenant, where are you going?" She asked him nervously and he didn't answer her. "Lieutenant stop," and he kept walking. "Andy, please don't" she finally said and he turned around to face her.

"They shouldn't talk about you that way. It's not right." He said the anger apparent in his face and voice.

"They aren't the first ones Andy, and they won't be the last." She reminded him and the words stung because they both knew she was talking at least in part about him.

"I'm sorry Captain, I really am." He said shoving his hands in the pockets of his Gryffindor robe.

"I appreciate that Lieutenant, I do, but if you excuse me I think I will head home." She said placing her glass of wine on a table and turning to go.

"You shouldn't let them ruin your night. You should stay with us." He said.

"Andy, nobody in your division wants to spend the Halloween party with me costume or no costume. Thank you but good night." She said as she walked off.

Andy stood and watched her go fighting the unexplainable urge to go after her. He sighed as he watched her take off her robe and leave it on the steps of the building as she walked towards her car.

"See, Halloween is just not for me." Sharon said sadly watching her past self walk away alone and embarrassed.

"But these are the Halloweens of the past" the girl reminded her, "You have a present and future Halloweens that could still be wonderful."

"I just don't think so." Sharon realizing that the girl was suddenly gone and she was standing in a different house that she didn't recognize.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

A Halloween Carol

Chapter 2

The Ghost of Halloween Present

Sharon looked around for the young girl in the Halloween jedi costume but could not find her. Instead she saw a large man in a dark brown robe rifling through a child's Halloween bucket, "Laffy Taffy, Skittles, Air Heads, Ahh haa! " he exclaimed, "The grand prize of the Halloween bucket, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups" He said taking a bite of one, "Want one Captain Raydor?" He asked turning around to her.

Sharon gasped when she saw his long hair and unkempt beard, was this, no it couldn't be he wasn't real, "I'm sorry are you Rubeus Hagrid?" She asked him.

The man let out a loud laugh, "Why would you be sorry to ask that? It's a splendid question. Maybe I am. Maybe I am not. Today is Halloween you can be whoever you want to be! Isn't that splendid. And of course there are treats which makes it even better." He said offering her the peanut butter cup again.

Sharon took it from him and shook her head, "But who are you really and where am I?" she asked

"I Captain, am the Ghost of Halloween Present and watch for a minute and you will see where we are." He said as he bite into another piece of candy.

"Connor, Mitchell, are you guys ready?" A familiar woman's voice came through the house and Sharon at the man next to her just as the woman walked into view, "That's Nichole this must be her and Dean's house. I am supposed to come here with Andy tomorrow night." Sharon watched as the two young boys came running into the living room dressed in smaller versions of the robes that she and Andy had worn a few years before. It was then that she realized it was already Halloween.

"Oh good Gryffindor for both of them! Hufflepuff would have been all right or Ravenclaw I suppose but nobody should aspire to Slythern. They will make fine additions to Gryffindor I can tell." The man next to her said.

Sharon laughed, "They are just Halloween costumes. They aren't really wizards."

"Oh but tonight they are Captain. Tonight they can be whoever they want, so can Andy, so can you." He told her. Just then the doorbell rang and the boys jumped and ran to answer it and both screamed at the same time, "Grandpa!"

Sharon looked on in disbelief as she saw Andy standing there in his Ron costume from a few years before, "I understand Harry Potter lives here! What is this? Two Harry Potters? It must be a spell!"

"Grandpa! It's us!" The boys laughed taking of their glasses. Andy hugged them both and moved to hug his daughter and shake Dean's hand. "Can we go trick or treating now?" the boys asked.

Nichole looked at her father curious why he had showed up alone. She had thought Sharon was coming with him and then they were going to the LAPD costume party afterwards. "Why don't you two go with your Dad to start and Grandpa and I can hand out candy. Then we can switch off." She suggested wanting the opportunity to talk to her father. Dean nodded and the boys ran to the door. After they left Nichole turned to Andy.

"OK Dad, what's going on?" She asked him. "You and Sharon are hardly ever apart since you two officially started dating. I thought you had big plans for tonight. What happened? Were you stupid?"

Andy let out a small laugh as he sat down on her couch, "I honestly don't know what happened Sweetheart all I can tell you is that Sharon really doesn't like Halloween and when I tried to find out why she totally shut me out. She said she wanted nothing to do with it and then pretty much shoved me out last night. Now I haven't heard from her all day. I texted her and called her and she won't talk to me. I have no idea what's going on."

Sharon reached into her pocket to look at her phone and it wasn't there. "No phones tonight Captain." Her companion told her. Sharon felt disappointment growing in herself over how she had treated Andy.

"I'm really sorry Dad. Something must really be bothering her that doesn't sound like Sharon at all." Nichole said.

Andy shook his head, "I don't know Nichole I mean she can be so private but usually we can talk about anything and we've told each other a lot over the last few years and even more the last few months but she's closing me out of whatever this is. I don't know what to do."

"Well what do you want to do Dad?" She asked him.

"I want to go over to her house and hold her and tell her that she can tell me anything. That if we are going to work we have to trust each other. I want to tell her that I love her and I want her in my life more every day."

Sharon gasped when she heard Andy say that he loved her. Those were words that they had not said to each other yet. The words did not come as a surprise because the truth was Andy always made her feel loved. Yet to actually hear him say it was a different matter.

"So have you told her that Dad, that you love her?" Nichole asked quietly.

"No, because I am afraid that I will scare her off and that she will shut me out. But I do love her Nic, more than I can probably say."

Sharon felt the tears start to form in her eyes. "I don't mean to shut you out Andy. I really don't" she whispered and got up to go to him.

"He can't see you Captain and you have to decide what you want." He told her.

"What do you mean?" She asked him.

"Look around you Sharon, there is so much happiness and love waiting for you. Andy loves you and wants a life with you but you have to be willing to take a chance on him."

"And if I don't, what happens then?" She whispered.

"That's not for me to show you." Hagrid said his smile turning downward as he began to fade as Sharon found herself sitting on the couch in her condo alone in the darkness.

TBC

A/N Obviously none of the Harry Potter characters or references are mine because well JK Rowling I am not. And special thanks to Ameddancesforyou for the idea of using Hagrid as the Ghost of Halloween present.


	3. Chapter 3

A Halloween Carol

Chapter 3

Ghost of Halloween Yet to Come

Sharon found herself back in her living room standing in the dark. She wasn't sure what time it was or what was going on. She remembered that she had never actually seen Rusty come in so she decided to go and peek in his room just to make sure. She quietly opened his bedroom and gasped when she found it virtually empty. The bed, desk, and dresser were still there but everything personal of Rusty's was gone. His clothes, his laptop, his chess set and all of his books.

'Rusty?" She called out in confusion.

"He moved out last year Sharon. After he graduated and got the job with that news website based in San Diego. "Sharon heard a voice she didn't' recognize from behind her and she turned to find a dark shadowy figure standing there. She didn't recognize it but it reminded her on something Ricky and his friends would have worn as teenagers at Halloween.

"The Ghost of Halloween Yet to Come, I guess?" She asked the figure approaching him as she would a suspect determined not to let him see her nerves.

"I am" it said.

"I don't know who you are supposed to be the other two I could easily place. Why is that?" She asked the figure.

"Because Sharon the future is unknown." It told her, "Isn't that what you are the most scared of the unknown future?"

"I am not scared of the future. I have everything under control." She countered.

"Ahhh, so that is what you are truly afraid of. Losing control and when you let someone in you risk losing part of that control." It countered back.

"I let people in, and if you are talking about Andy, I have let him in just fine. He knows everything that happened with Jack if that's what you mean." She went back at him crossing her arms over her chest.

"Does he? Then why doesn't he know why you hate Halloween so much?" The spirit leaned closer to her causing her to step backwards a bit.

"Because I just never thought to tell him. He knows the big picture maybe just not all the details." She said her frustration growing. The spirit stared at her waiting, "Fine, if it's that big of a deal I will call him and tell him that on Halloween Jack showed up drunk with another woman, having emptied our savings and I was desperate enough to take his gambling money. I will also tell him how after that I have made sure…" she stopped as a realization began to sink in.

"You made sure what Sharon?" The Spirit asked.

"That nobody would make me feel the way he did that night again." Sharon whispered. "I think I need to call Andy." She said walking towards the living room to find her phone.

She found her phone sitting on the counter and picked it up to dial his number only to find it went to a recording telling her that number was no longer in service. She looked at her phone and the spirit in confusion. 'What is going on?" She asked.

"You and Andy aren't together anymore." The Spirit told her.

"What I don't understand. I heard him say that he loves me and well, I love him too. What happened?" She asked the spirit desperately.

"He does love you. Even now a year after you broke up he still loves you. That's why he finally retired it was too painful to be around you every day."

"I don't understand, why did we break up?" she asked again.

"After that first Halloween when you shut him out you guys made up but you never really told him what happened and then the next time something reminded you of a painful time in your life came along you did the same thing, and the time after that and so on. Anytime you were reminded of pain you shut him out, eventually it created a wall between you and Andy couldn't take it anymore. He tried to break through for a few years but the harder he tried the thicker you built the wall." The Spirit explained to her.

Sharon sank down on her couch, "Spirit, how do I keep that from happening?"

"You have to trust him Sharon." The Spirit said softly.

"And if I do trust him, does it turn out all right? Are we happy? Do we stay together? Can I really trust him?" She asked tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"I can't tell you that Sharon. Like I said before the future is unknown. You have to be willing to risk that. Are you willing to risk that?" The Spirit asked before disappearing leaving her alone on her couch.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

A Halloween Carol

Chapter 4

Taking a Risk

Sharon awoke to the sound of dishes clanging in her kitchen. She sat up realizing the sun was coming in through the windows. She looked around to see Rusty cooking breakfast.

"Moring Sharon, rough night?" he asked.

Sharon rubbed her face trying to figure out what was going on. She was still in her clothes she had changed into after work last night.  
"Rusty, what day is it?" Sharon asked.

"Man Sharon, how much wine did you have last night?" Rusty laughed having never seen her like this before. Sharon looked to the coffee table to see the glass she had poured herself still half full. "I mean it Rusty, is today Halloween?" she asked him.

"Yes, and I know you don't like it so I'm going out with some friends." He told her.

Sharon stood up suddenly and searched for her keys and purse, "That sounds great Rusty have fun. I will either be back very soon to very late." She told him heading to the door.

"Sharon, so you want to at least change?" He asked her but she was already gone.

ASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASSA

Sharon stood nervously outside Andy's house. She was not one to rush into things without a plan and here she was standing on the porch of the man she was dating wearing yesterday's clothes about to spill her heart out to him. The final spirit had told her that she had to be willing to take a risk and here she was as she nervously raised her hand to knock on the door only to find it opening and Andy standing in front of her with a surprised look on his face.

"Good morning" he said pleasantly surprised to see her standing there. "I was going to bring breakfast over. I didn't like how we left things last night.

Sharon looked into his dark brown eyes and could see all of the emotions and questions that he had. She took a deep breath and then the words began to tumble from her mouth, "On October 31st 1992 I discovered the Jack who had been gone for two years and not sent a dime of money to us had emptied our savings account. That night as I was trying to get Ricky and Emily ready for trick or treating he showed up drunk with another woman fifteen years younger than me, and shoved an envelope of money at me that he had won back gambling. It was less than half the money he had taken from me but I knew I had to take it. After than night we didn't hear from him for five years and after that night I promised myself that I would never take money like that from him again and that nobody would ever make me feel that way again."

She had barely gotten the words out of her mouth when she felt Andy's arms around her pulling her to him. "Sweetheart, I am so sorry and I'm sorry that I pushed you about Halloween. We don't have to do anything. We can just stay home and watch a movie." He said running his hands through her hair.

Sharon pulled back slightly and looked at him, "No Andy, I need you to push me a little. Sometimes I don't even realize that I am closing you out. I am so use to being on my own I am not use to anyone carrying about my feelings and I don't always know how to explain what I am feeling. I want to tell you these things, it might just tell me awhile to figure out how."

Andy smiled at her, "I've told you all along that I would wait for you. Take your time Beautiful."

Sharon took his hand and pulled him from the porch into the house, "Andy, "She started once the door was closed, "I don't need any more time."

Andy blinked a stared at her for a minute making sure she was saying what she thought she was saying. "Sharon, are you saying…"

"That I'm ready for things to not be so old fashioned? Yes, Andy, I love you and I am ready for there not to be any more barriers between us."

Again Sharon found herself in his arms only this time it was passionate and his lips crashed into hers. It was a frenzy of kisses and touching the found themselves pushed against the wall Andy's hand traveling over her body. He trailed kisses down her neck and back up to her lips. Suddenly he remembered that they were still standing in his entry way and there was no way he was going to let their first time be like this. He pulled back from her and looked at her with her lips swollen and eyes full of desire and he almost gave back in to the desire to make love to her right there. Instead he took her by the hand a kissed her one more time. "Come on" he whispered leading her down the hall.

When they reached his bedroom he looked at her longingly and suddenly panicked when he remembered what she said in the hall. "Oh shit Sharon. I never told you that I love you. You said it and I didn't but I do love you probably more than I have ever loved anyone."

This time it was Sharon that pulled him in covering his lips with hers after she released him she smiled, "Andrew Flynn, I know that you love me. It just took me awhile to realize that's what it was."

His lips covered hers again and the passion and urgency from earlier took back over as they landed on his bed pulling at each other's clothes in between kisses. Andy looked at her laying on his bed in nothing but her black bra and panties, "God you are beautiful." he told her before removing them.

They spent most of the day in his bed making loving, talking and sleeping. They had fallen asleep in each other's arms and woke to find the sun was starting to set. "Andy, wake up we have to get going." Sharon said getting up from the bed. He pulled her back to himself, "I don't need to go anywhere" he said.

"On no sir you promised me trick or treating and a party and I want both. Now I'm getting a shower you need to get moving." She said smiling as he watched her walk to the bathroom.

They talked back and forth as she showered and Sharon was glad she kept a change of clothes in her car. When she got out of the shower she was shocked at what she found sitting on his bed. It was her Hermonie robe from a few years ago the one she had left sitting outside the building.

"Andy, why do you have this still?" She asked him in confusion.

"I picked it up that night intending to give it back to you but there didn't seem to be the right time. Then after a while I felt silly about it. Then as we got closer to Halloween I thought I would surprise you with it. I thought we could go as Ron and Hermonie again tonight. Because Ron and Hermonie are meant to be together. It just took them a while to realize it." He told her nervously. Sharon turned and kissed him amazed at the man before her.

Three Years Later

"Sharon are you ready?" Andy called down the hall.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley I believe that I am." Sharon said coming out of their bedroom in the same Hermoine costume that she had worn for the last three Halloweens. "Did you remember to pick up candy on your way home?"

"I did, and the grandkids should be here any minute." He told her wearing his matching robe. "You sure you are all right not going to the LAPD party this year?" he asked her again.

"Yes, this is our first Halloween, married and in this house. I want to spend it here passing out candy and watching the kids trick or treat." She said kissing him.

The doorbell rang alerting them to the arrival of Nicole and her family that now included a two year old girl. They were greeted with hugs and excited children. Sharon and Andy sat on their front porch watching the children running from house to house passing out candy to everyone that came. Sharon rested quietly back in Andy's arms. "What are you thinking about?" he asked her.

"How much I really enjoy Halloween." She said placing a soft kiss on his lips.

The End


End file.
